Moliere comes to Natmandal
Spirited thespians in The School for Wives
Fayza Haq
The young actors and actresses who presented the story of the maiden with two suitors were fresh faced and bright eyed. They were full of enthusiasm for their roles in the play about young Agnes, with her amorous, aging guardian, Arnolophe and her young suitor Horace. Even though the costumes were only passable and at times anachronistic and the blaring intermittent music somewhat less than melodious, the acting was sincere and at times even passionate, as in the case of Arnolophe (Mohammed Amin) and Agnes (Rowshan Shimu). The props were economical and included little else apart from a bed that folded into a bench, a chair and a small table. The audience streamed into Natmandal and the play The School for Wives proved a lively two-hour entertainment. Moliere has used some of the stock characters like the servants, Alain and Georgette, and techniques like the lost family having a reunion at the end but the play does not suffer on this account. The performers had practiced for six days a week for a month and a half. The actors get no subsidies and often have to pay from their own pocket. They sometimes practice in the Dhanmandi Muktomancho and stages as in the TSC. Mohammed Amin, who played the part of Arnolophe, said that since he had long dialogues, 'I had to develop enormous stamina and strengthen my memory. I began with this troupe Space and Acting Research Centre (SARC) from the outset, 12 years back, playing the part of Amin in Mohammed Amin. I also took part in seven other plays such as Chandrbindu and Mitrikar Compass. I came into acting because I was inspired by seeing others act. Apart from acting I do odd jobs for a living,' Amin said. Rowshan Shimu, acts as Agnes, who is sought after by her guardian, who adopted her when she was young, homeless and poor. She is also courted by the young and handsome Horace, one of Arnolophe's friends. Shimu has done all the environmental and stage plays with the group SARC and also helped backstage. She has most recently played in Ekti Shironamheen Natok and Look Back in Anger. As the characters are different, she says that she gets a different sense of satisfaction in playing the different roles. She is a journalist in Ajker Kagoj. Sarkar Haider, played the part of Arnolophe's friend Chrysalde. He has acted in Dinajpur. Among his memorable performances are in Roktokorobi (Dinajpur Nogorupi), Mohammed Amin, Ekti Banshir Golpo and Payer Awaj Pawajae. He has been acting in village plays as a child and his father had been into folk music. He is a Masters student of Bangla at Dhaka College. He admires Rasiul Islam Assad and Zahid Hassan, apart from Nasiruddin Shah in India. Suman Guha, was Alain, a stock character, the male servant. Suman has worked before with Ashish Khondokar in his plays like Ekti Shironamheen Natok. He has done various courses in acting as from the Shilpakala Academy and Gurukola. Abdullah Al Khaled was Orente, a businessman and the father of Horace, the hero. He was once a friend of the main character, Arnolophe. Badiul Alam was Enrique and is from Narayanganj where he has taken part in plays. Shahidul Biplob, who played Horace, is from Gazipur and is also fairly new to the stage. Georgette, the maid was played by Rahmat Ara Marzi. She is basically a fine arts student in the Institute of Fine Arts. The play, directed by Ashish Khondokar presented a mixture of experienced and fresh artistes.
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The main characher, Arnolophe, discussing his fate with his friends and servants |
